Fuji Silhouette:looking for the good, the bad, and the ugly (or pretty!!)

[runsusie]

Hey all,
I've been looking for a bike for a while, and I'm still narrowing down exactly what I want. I'm only 24 so I'm really not prepared to shell out the big bucks for my ideal (carbon, full dura ace speed demon-esque) bike, but what I'm looking for is a full carbon bike within the $1900-$2300 range, preferably with Ultegra. I know there's a lot of entry level carbon bikes out there with 105, but I'm just not convinced that I'm going to be happy with 105 in the long run.
So, here's what I've currently got my eye on: an 09 Fuji Silhouette, which is a carbon bike (women's geometry) with Ultegra. I haven't found much in any recent threads about this bike, but I figure SOMEBODY's gotta be riding it, so if you've got one or have heard anything about them, I'd love to get more opinions. There's really not even much on other online bike review sites, so I'm having trouble getting enough confirmation that it is indeed a good bike. I've got a few questions about it, as compared to the good ol' Trek/Specialized bikes... it says it's full Ultegra, but what does that really mean? Because when I look on the web site at the full specs, http://www.fujibikes.com/Womens/Carb...ilhouette.aspx, that doesn't look like full ultegra to me. Just makes me nervous having some random brand of brakes, etc. that are NOT ultegra. And then there's the wheels. Not so hot, from what I've gathered. But does that really matter so much? I dunno. It weighs in at about 19 lbs (that's WITH the clunky showroom pedals), but sheesh, for full carbon, I was expecting a little lighter.
Oh, so here's the juicy pricing details: MSRP is $2500; current price is $1800. Makes it a little more tempting, for sure!
I guess I'd better also say that YES, I test rode it, and aaaahhhh, it was great! My current bike (try to restrain your laughter) is an aluminum Trek 1100 with downtube shifters, ugh, it's my dad's old bike. So far EVERY new (or newER) bike I've ridden has felt great in comparison, so it's difficult for me to distinguish between them because they're all so much smoother than what I've got now. My bike is a 52, and it's definitely got too long of a top tube (long rides in paceline = yowch!) so I test rode the Fuji in a size Small- SO MUCH BETTER! Anyway, comments? Opinions? Words of wisdom?

[Cataboo]

This is about when a lot of people are going to tell you not to buy from performance and to get professionally fit.

The bike is not full ultegra - rear cassette isn't, the cranks aren't, the brakes aren't, wheels aren't. The pieces they have on it instead of ultegra aren't bad - and seriously, brakes are brakes. Ultegra ones really don't stop any better than the other ones - it's a huge lawsuit if your brakes don't work.

19 lbs isn't too shoddy, however.

My titanium bike is 16-18 lbs with an ultegra double, my carbon bike is 18-20 lbs with a 105 triple. Truthfully? I can't tell the difference between ultegra & 105, the former is lighter, but I can't feel the difference at all in shifting. So I don't think I would discount a 105 level bike if I were you. I recently had the opportunity to upgrade my carbon bike to ultegra for a few hundred and I didn't bother because it really wasn't necessary. But you may be able to tell the difference.

I know Becky just recently bought a carbon fuji bike, I don't remember the model - but if you look up her posts, you can find some comments.

[runsusie]

Thanks Catriona.
It looks like most people have purchased their Fuji bikes from Performance, but there's actually a shop in town that carries the brand so this bike was indeed fit to me- it was not the full, professional, comprehensive fit, but it was the owner of the shop making sure we got me on the correctly-sized bike for my test ride. I think that's a definite +1 for the bike in this case. I wouldn't be nearly as comfortable if I wasn't going through my LBS that I know and trust.

[Cataboo]

Thanks Catriona.
It looks like most people have purchased their Fuji bikes from Performance, but there's actually a shop in town that carries the brand so this bike was indeed fit to me- it was not the full, professional, comprehensive fit, but it was the owner of the shop making sure we got me on the correctly-sized bike for my test ride. I think that's a definite +1 for the bike in this case. I wouldn't be nearly as comfortable if I wasn't going through my LBS that I know and trust.

Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed. So if it's a good fit and you've done some comparison shopping, it's probably a good buy for you... I think some easy upgrades for you to do in the future would be the wheelset.

[KathiCville]

I bought the Fuji Silhouette about two months ago...from Performance, for better or worse. Got a great deal on it: @$1350-$1400. Which in turn allowed me (or I should say allowed my wrench-wielding BF) to upgrade some of the components immediately, while still keeping the overall price below $2000. I have a mix of Ultegra and XTR components. The original 105 drivetrain is sitting pristinely in a box in the basement while I decide whether I can put it to use on another bike or sell it. I wanted a triple because I'm not a strong rider and I live in the Blue Ridge where hills and mountains are the order of the day.

At any rate, so far, I *love* the Silhouette! I was riding an "OK" Schwinn that was much heavier and more of a touring bike. I immediately gained an average 2mph in speed by moving up to the Fuji. Now the challenge (for me) is to grow into the Silhouette by getting even stronger.

The only major thing that I'm still 'playing with' is the handlebar---I might switch out the one that came with the bike for one of the short-and-shallow varieties. I have small hands, small reach. The bar that came with the bike is just fine--it's even the 'right' width for me. But if I find a better bar at a bargain price I'll nab it.

One thing I've noticed on the Fuji is that I'm a bit less confident flying down steep hills, I think because of the lighter weight of the bike. I've never been particularly brave or talented about descending, but on the heavier Schwinn I did OK. I'm sure it's just a matter of improving my bike-handling skills and getting more comfortable with the feel of a lighter bike going really fast downhill. I HAVE hit 36mph (while gritting my teeth, LOL!) on a straight-no-curves descent on the Fuji, so I know I can do it under the right circumstances. On the Schwinn my max going full tilt was 33mph.

In an earlier post about the Silhouette I mentioned that while I was sitting on the bike in Performance, debating whether to take the plunge, I noticed a woman hovering a little distance from me, watching. She finally spoke up. She had ridden a Silhouette for about a year, I think. Loved it. And told me I wouldn't regret the decision. Her words alone wouldn't have been enough to sway me, but it was great to get a thumbs-up from someone who had been riding it for a year or so.

KathiCville

[Becky]

Catriona's right....I recently bought a 2007 Fuji Supreme RC. I love it, but comparing it to the Silhouette is a little like apples to oranges. Different carbon, SRAM Rival components, etc. About the only thing that is the same is the geometry, which happens to work pretty well for me.

IIRC, the 09 Sil comes with Ultegra shifters, which is great. I think they're even the short-reach ones. The stock wheels are ok. Wheels are one of the first things that I upgrade on a new bike, and that seems to be true regardless of the bike brand. Saddle and seatpost often get changed quickly too, for reasons of comfort and fit.

IMO, the Sil is a nice bike. If the price is right, then go for it. Ride the pants off of it, figure out what really needs to be changed or upgraded right away, and then upgrade as stuff wears out.

[Becky]

I should add:

A lot of people do buy Fujis from Performance. They're one of Fuji's biggest dealers with a lot of buying power and can offer prices that other dealers can't touch. Performance's retail stores are like any other chain- some are very good and some are awful, and it's worth checking out your local one before forming an opinion.

[runsusie]

In an earlier post about the Silhouette I mentioned that while I was sitting on the bike in Performance, debating whether to take the plunge, I noticed a woman hovering a little distance from me, watching. She finally spoke up. She had ridden a Silhouette for about a year, I think. Loved it. And told me I wouldn't regret the decision. Her words alone wouldn't have been enough to sway me, but it was great to get a thumbs-up from someone who had been riding it for a year or so.

Aah, that was you! I did read that in your earlier post. Thanks for your input.

I did see the bike listed online at Performance, but we don't have any retail stores in my area, so going that route is probably not an option. So yes, I may be paying a few thousand MORE by not getting the deep Performance Bike discount, but I'm okay with that. The only bad part is that I'd have to really think hard about starting to switch out parts (wheels?) because the costs definitely add up fast.

[KathiCville]

I upgraded very quickly mostly because I knew I wanted a triple AND because I had some credit built up at another bike shop in town, so I didn't have to dig a whole lot deeper into my wallet on top of the purchase price. Otherwise I probably would have stuck with the 105 double and upgraded slowly. (I doubt that I would notice the diff between 105 and Ultegra at this point in my limited cycling experience.)

If you're confident buying bike parts online, you could keep your eyes open on geartrade.com, ebay, and other websites that knowledgeable TE'ers use. My BF and I nabbed one brand-new component for my Fuji on geartrade.com for about one-third retail. Of course, it was just good luck/timing that the part was listed for sale right at the time I bought the Silhouette. I'm now keeping my eyes open, casually, for a deal on a handlebar.

Whatever you decide, enjoy your new bike!

[Eden]

The bike is not full ultegra - rear cassette isn't, the cranks aren't, the brakes aren't, wheels aren't. The pieces they have on it instead of ultegra aren't bad - and seriously, brakes are brakes. Ultegra ones really don't stop any better than the other ones - it's a huge lawsuit if your brakes don't work.

Gotta disagree with you here... I had a Fuji a while ago. As far as value/price it really was terrific. The one thing I really did not like about it was the brakes. Brakes definitely are not brakes - some really do work better than others. My bike did have cheap brakes on it and they did not work as well as good ones. I thought they were stiff and grabby. The DA brakes on my race bike are totally different feeling - very smooth and sure.

105 vs Ultegra - I don't think you'll notice too much of a difference really. The more expensive the lighter, but the technology keeps working its way down. Today's 105 was the DA of 4 or 5 years ago....

The weight? Yeah 19 lbs is bit hefty for a racing bike, but take a good look at where the weight is. If it is due to a cheap-heavy wheelset, then its not such a big deal. Wheels wear out and will eventually need replacing in any case.

[Cataboo]

Gotta disagree with you here... I had a Fuji a while ago. As far as value/price it really was terrific. The one thing I really did not like about it was the brakes. Brakes definitely are not brakes - some really do work better than others. My bike did have cheap brakes on it and they did not work as well as good ones. I thought they were stiff and grabby. The DA brakes on my race bike are totally different feeling - very smooth and sure.

Obviously I need to try dura ace brakes. How much difference do you think the pad makes and as for stiffness, is that something that just grease/oil takes care of? I haven't noticed any difference between ultegra, 105, tiagra, campy, and forte brakes... I'm sure there's some weight differences of course.

[Eden]

Obviously I need to try dura ace brakes. How much difference do you think the pad makes and as for stiffness, is that something that just grease/oil takes care of? I haven't noticed any difference between ultegra, 105, tiagra, campy, and forte brakes... I'm sure there's some weight differences of course.

None of those are particularly cheap brakes - the brakes I had issue with were Tektro - and the generic ones that bike mfg's use to cut costs. It wasn't pads or adjustment, they weren't made very well. I don't think it would make a huge difference to go from Ultegra to DA , again most of what you get when you get into the upper levels of components is weight savings- don't know about Tiagra or the others as I haven not used them.

It looks like the Silhouette comes with Cane Creek brakes - which as far as I know have a pretty good reputation -though I don't know anything about that model. They still use Tektro on their "sport" models.

[Cataboo]

The fuji sihouette comes spec'd with cane creek brakes, which I assume would be reasonable quality 'cause cane creek makes nice headsets (Okay, so that doesn't immediately imply...)

But anyways, reviews of the brakes seem pretty good:
http://www.roadbikereview.com/cat/br...5_2480crx.aspx

Other than some people claiming you need to switch out the pads immediately. Some claiming it's better than ultegra.

[Eden]

In any case my comment was not directed at those brakes in particular - just at the statement that brakes are brakes. I did find that brakes are not necessarily all equal. There definitely are brakes that work better than others and the level of the other components on the bike may not indicate how good the brakes are - the bike I had with lousy brakes had a 105 drive train.

[Cataboo]

In any case my comment was not directed at those brakes in particular - just at the statement that brakes are brakes. I did find that brakes are not necessarily all equal. There definitely are brakes that work better than others and the level of the other components on the bike may not indicate how good the brakes are - the bike I had with lousy brakes had a 105 drive train.

I just figured I'd look up the brakes actually on the bike since it was one of runsusie's concerns about the bike.